Experimental investigation on the thermophysical properties of beryllium oxide-based nanofluid and nano-enhanced phase change material

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Low thermal conductivity is a primary issue in the development of efficient heat transfer fluids and materials required for the thermal management of...     

A biological process for the reclamation of flue gas desulfurization gypsum using mixed sulfate-reducing bacteria with inexpensive carbon sources

A combined chemical and biological process for the recycling of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum into calcium carbonate and elemental sulfur is demonstrated. In this process, a mixed culture of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) utilizes inexpensive carbon sources, such as sewage digest or synthesis gas, to reduce FGD gypsum to hydrogen sulfide. The sulfide is then oxidized to elemental sulfur via reaction with ferric sulfate, and accumulating calcium ions are precipitated as calcium carbonate using carbon dioxide. Employing anaerobically digested municipal sewage sludge (AD-MSS) medium as a carbon source, SRBs in serum bottles demonstrated an FGD gypsum reduction rate of 8 mg/L/h (10⁹ cells)^-1. A chemostat with continuous addition of both AD-MSS media and gypsum exhibited sulfate reduction rates as high as 1.3 kg FGD gypsum/m³d. The increased biocatalyst density afforded by cell immobilization in a columnar reactor allowed a productivity of 152 mg SO₄ ^-2/Lh or 6.6 kg FGD gypsum/m³d. Both reactors demonstrated 100% conversion of sulfate, with 75–100% recovery of elemental sulfur and chemical oxygen demand utilization as high as 70%. Calcium carbonate was recovered from the reactor effluent on precipitation using carbon dioxide. It was demonstrated that SRBs may also use synthesis gas (CO, H₂, and CO₂ in the reduction of gypsum, further decreasing process costs. The formation of two marketable products—elemental sulfur and calcium carbonate—from FGD gypsum sludge, combined with the use of a low-cost carbon source and further improvements in reactor design, promises to offer an attractive alternative to the landfilling of FGD gypsum.

     

Dually responsive multiblock copolymers via RAFT polymerization: Synthesis of temperature- and redox-responsive copolymers of PNIPAM and PDMAEMA

We report synthesis of temperature- and redox-responsive multiblock copolymers by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Well-defined α,ω-bis(dithioester)-functionalized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were prepared using 1,4-bis(thiobenzoylthiomethyl)benzene and 1,4-bis(2-(thiobenzoylthio)prop-2-yl)benzene as RAFT agents, respectively. Dually responsive multiblock copolymers were synthesized in a single aminolysis/oxidation step from the α,ω-bis(dithioester)-terminated PNIPAM and PDMAEMA. The copolymers and their stimulus-responsive behavior were characterized by size exclusion chromatography, NMR, light scattering and atomic force microscopy. Due to the presence of redox-sensitive disulfide bonds between the blocks, the copolymers were readily reduced to the starting polymer blocks. The presence of temperature-responsive PNIPAM blocks provided the copolymers with the ability to assemble into core-shell nanostructures with hydrophobic PNIPAM as a core and cationic PDMAEMA as stabilizing shell when above the phase transition temperatures of PNIPAM. The temperature-induced assembly of the copolymers also showed substantial pH sensitivity. The phase transition temperature increased with decreasing pH, while molecular weight of the assemblies decreased.     

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Hybrid Collagen–Cellulose–Albumin Biofibers from Skin Waste

Collagen (C) and cellulose are prominent biopolymers from the animal and plant kingdom and widely used in bioengineering. Albumin, on the other hand, is the most abundant plasma protein present in mammalian blood. In this work, collagen extracted from animal skin waste was blended with hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and bovine serum albumin (A) and wet-spun to form hybrid biodegradable C/HEC/A fibers. They were further cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapors and analyzed. X-ray diffraction and infra-red spectroscopic studies of the hybrid fibers display peaks corresponding to collagen, cellulose, and albumin. Incorporation of cellulose into the biopolymeric matrix leads to a reasonable improvement in mechanical, swelling, and thermal properties of hybrid fibers. Addition of albumin improves the regularity of fiber surface without altering the porosity as observed under a microscope. Hence, the formed hybrid biofibers can be potentially used as a suture material as well as for different biomedical applications due to their improved properties.     

Nano Silicon from Nano Silica Using Natural Resource (Rha) for Solar Cell Fabrication

Abstract

High purity (～99%) nano silica with an average particle size of ～100 nm was extracted at pH 3 at 650°C from a natural resource, rice husk, using alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation method. Using nano silica as a precursor, silicon (Si) nanoparticles have been synthesized by high-temperature magnesiothermic reduction method. The prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence analyzer, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The comprehensive characterization studies indicate the pure phase formation of Si and the variation of particle size from 70 nm to 100 nm for samples synthesized at different sintering temperatures. Moreover, the silicon nanoparticles produced at 850°C have pure phase formation, high purity, and good absorption peaks. The efficiency calculated through IV characteristics is found to be increasing in silicon and ruthenium combination (2.67%), which is better than that achieved from the conventional solar cells. The produced silicon nanoparticles could be applied as an anode material for solar cell fabrication.     

SYNTHESIS,NMR AND MOLECULAR MODELING STUDY OF 4,9a-DIARYL-9,9a-DIHYDRO 1H-[1,4]THIAZINO[4,3-a][1,3]BENZIMIDAZOLES

A series of substituted 4,9a-diaryl-9,9a-dihydro-1H-[1,4]thiazino[4,3-a][1,3]benzimidazoles was prepared in good yields from the reaction of bis(aroylmethyl) sulfides with ortho-phenylenediamine in glacial acetic acid under reflux and under microwave irradiation. Microwave irradiation is found to accelerate the reaction, besides giving better yield in the case of the thiazinobenzimidazoles with electron-withdrawing groups in the aryl rings than the thermal reaction.